Je' T'aime (Tom Riddle Love Story)

Double Dragon Dare

Week four in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry comes fast. I am steadily finding my way to the library more and more, but instead of being occupied by finding research books, I often find myself distracted by a fantasy novel that is much more amusing. Currently, I am there in the library reading a Romance novel by a witch named Dragma Dragori. Its about a fae Prince and an actress with no talent who end up together by accident, tasked to save the princes kingdom from the war the Kings brother was waging to gain power. The girl was just finding out that she was one of the elders daughters and her acting failures had been because she was cursed. Her true abilities were that she could make anyone do or believe what she wished, so long as she acted the part of a queen, or leader, or whatever she wanted to be.

My charms homework lay forgotten on the table with my nose stuck in my book. I am nearing the end, and its getting intense. Someone heavily drops their books down on the table and makes me jump. My book topples out of my hands and falls with a dull thud to the floor. I scoop it up and glare at the person who interrupted me.

"Jonathan Potter, you're a prick."

Shock colors his face and his jaw drops open. "I'm a-a what?"

"A prick," I hiss again. "That wasn't nice."

"Well, I have one. Would you like to see it sometime?" His face breaks out into a grin and its my turn to turn pink and stare wide eyed.

"You spend far too much time with Fin," I comment. "You're becoming as perverted as he is."

"On the contrary. I do believe he gets it from me. You just haven't been subjected to my charms yet. Which, by the way, you seem to be struggling with," he smirks and inclines his head towards my discarded Charms parchment.

"I'm not having trouble," I assure him. "I'm just not interested in it right now."

Jonathan sits down in the wooden chair in front of me and leans back. "It seems someone is interested in you, though. "

"What," I ask as I spin around to look where he gestured to. Across the room at another table sits Tom Riddle. The bane of my existence since we met. He is always popping up everywhere and trying to make conversation, always asking about my parents, and my legal guardian.

I roll my eyes and look back to Jonathan. "He keeps staring at you," he continues. "I swear he is following you."

"Why, you jealous," I ask with a sneer. Jonathan wiggles his eyebrows at me and flashes me a flirty grin.

"Nah, I got me a girl back home. But, how about a bet?"

"A bet? What kind," I ask, leaning in curiously. I fold my fingers together and rest my chin on them.

"That you won't do the dare I give you."

"Pffft, I'm a Gryfindor. I'll do it."

"You say that, until you hear what it is," he says slyly, turning his head to look at me sideways. " I bet you won't go over there and talk to Riddle, and ask him what he likes in a woman."

My eyes widen and I sit up strait. "That's repulsive," I exclaim. "What are you playing at?"

"Just a bit of fun," he laughs. "Come on, five galleons. I double dragon dare you."

I wrinkle my nose. "That's disgusting. Double Dragon?"

Jonathans grin widens, if possible and he raises his eyebrow at me. "Chicken," he sings.

"I'm no chicken," I mutter as I stand up and pull my skirt down tautly. "You owe me five galleons, Potter," I huff as I determinedly march toward Riddle. My steps get less confident the closer I get, however.

Tom Riddle sits at his table, flipping through pages of a book with a dark brown leather cover, and a scowl on his face. He irritably turned another page and massages his forehead.

"What are you reading," I ask when I get up right next to him. He stops massaging his forehead and looks up at me. He looks me up and down slowly, as if contemplating whether to answer.

"I'm doing research. What is it to you?"

"Research on what? Maybe I can help?"

He narrows his eyes at me first, but then a relaxed expression crosses his handsome features and a light smile stretches his full lips charmingly. "Perhaps you can. Sit."

I do as I'm told and take the seat in front of him, peering back at Jonathan, just to see him and all my stuff gone. What a prick. I look back at Riddle nervously.

"I'm doing an extra credit Defence paper... On vampires. But the books are so vague and give so little information that I can't seem to be able to write more than half a page without repeating myself. My sources say you know all about Vampires."

"What sources are those," I ask suspiciously.  Only the headmaster and the professor's knew about my family, so how could he have found out?

"Let's just say I have my ways of being persuasive." 

"I don't like to talk about my family."

Tom sits up and smirks at me in a way that sends chills down my spine. How could a boy a year younger than I am make that icky feeling of worry infect my insides and make my skin crawl? He folds his hands in front of him and looks at me levelly in the eyes.

"You came over here for a purpose. You ask your question, I'll ask mine. We take turns asking and answering and we both get what we want."

"Fine," I growl, thinking about my five galleons, and being called chicken. But, looking at him in the face now, I think it is the dumbest question in history. "You go first."

"Who in your family is the vampire?"

"My adoptive father. He murdered my real parents when I was young," I whisper, looking around to make sure no one heard, but no one is around. Jonathan wouldn't even know if I didn't ask. "What about you, who was your father?"

"No one I care to speak of."

"That's no fair. You made me talk about my legal guardian."

Tom glares at me and I realize he isnt going to play fair, and I wouldn't get an elaboration.  "How much blood does he consume to remain healthy and immortal?"

"I dont really know. He keeps it away from me for the most part. He's told me he only needs a few pints....but...he...he...he enjoys finishing them off," I stammer. "He can't drink the last drop though because itll kill him."

Tom sits back with a stern look on his face, concentrating on whatever was going on in his mind. "And nothing can hurt him, besides sunlight, of course?"

"Damage to his heart, fire, having his head cut off, anything you'd read in books."

"If you are fast enough, strong enough, none of that is a problem."

"Tom, you're not writing anything down," I observe. "I thought this was for a paper?"

"I have an extraordinary memory," he says absently.

"Well, it's my turn," I say, wanting to end the conversation. Talking about Lestat makes me nervous. Especially talking to Tom about Lestat. I thought about the DARE and thought I deserved five galleons for this entire conversation. Ten, even. "What do you look for in a woman?"

Tom's eyes shoot to mine in surprise. He looks truly flabbergasted, gobsmacked, caught off guard. "What do I...? What?"

"You heard me," I say hautily as I play with the hem of my skirt. Tom sneers at me.

"Power." Is all he says before gathering his books. "Power is all I seek," he bites before marching out of the library.